Trip device for well apparatus



Sept. 28, 1943. R. c. BAKER TRIP DEVICE FOR WELL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1941 Rez/@EN C. BAKE/e,

INVENTOR Patented Sept. 28, 1943 'rnirpnvron Fon WELL APPARA'rUs Reuben C. Baker, Coalinga, Calif., yassgnor to .Baker Oil Tools, Inc., Vernon, Califwa corporation' of California Application september 22, 1941,- serial Ne. 411,201" i Y L1i claims. (C1. 1ct- 12) f This invention relates to devices capable of effecting operation of well apparatus lowered and supported in a well bore on a tubular string `cr wireline.

Certain apparatus, such as bridge plugs, gun

perforators, bai1ers,letc.,` are lowered in a well bore or casing on a suitable string of tubing, drill pipe, or wire line. Upon reaching thedesired point inthe casing at which the well apparatus is to be employed, its operation is effected by a'suit-v able tripping device. At times, the tripping de- Vice acts prematurely,v causing operationof the particular apparatus to occur at the wrong position in the well bore or casing. i

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which overcomes vthe above-noted defect of premature tripping, and which, -therefore, oiers assurance that operation of the well apparatus will not occur until desired.

This invention has other objects that will beL come apparent from a Vconsideration of the embodiment shown in the drawing accompanying and forming part of 'the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not tolbe taken in a limit'edsense, since the scopev of the invention is best defined bythe claims vappended hereto;

Referring to the drawing:

Figure lis a longitudinal section showing a e well packer and its associated tripping device in relative positions'for running in a well bore or casing prior to setting of the packer therewithin;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section disclosing part of the tripping device in vlatched position;.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the parts of the tripping device in'unlatched or unlocked position; and 7^ Figure 4 is a cross section taken as indicated by the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

The present'invention is illustrated in connection with Va well packer, particularlywdescribed and claimed in United States Patent No. 2,225,- 143. This Well packer is disclosed as connected to a wire line for lowering in a well casing ,tothe position at which it is to be set-in packed off con-- dition. y i l Asdescribed in the patent referred to, the well packer is in the form of a bridge plug, and includes a main tubular body I0 lhaving a conical slip expander II at its lower end. A'guidev I2 is threaded in this expander for -thepurpose yoi guiding the tool past obstructionsvas it is being lowered in the well bore. .A plurality of' segmental slips i3. isvarranged around the body with their interior tapered surfaces cooperable with thecorresponding tapered,` surface onV the expander cone II. These slips I3 are initially held I9 threadedly or otherwise secured tothe upperv end of the main body I0. The other end of the spring engages a ring A2Ilseated within the base portion'2'l rof the rubber cup-shapedpacking 22, Which-is secured to theretainer I5 by their re,- spective interlocking flanges 23, 24.

Although initially `prevented from elongating@y l by suitablelatch or pawl means later to be described, Awhen released, the spring I3 effects movementA of fthe rubber packing 22 and retainer I5 longitudinally along the tubular )body Ill, causing the; retainer to movethe slips f I3 alongjthve cone II radially into engagementv with the casing. In pursuing this movement, the free -end 25 of the-,cup-shapedpacking is forced radially into fluid -tight engagement with'I the `casing through the cooperation of its inturned flangeV 26 with a conicalexpander'cone 2"!v formed on the spring retainer I9; the spring retainer possesses adepending annular lip 21a engaging the outer-free end 25 of the packing, so as to protectit until the packing is disengaged from thevlip upon movinglongitudinally in thel mannerdescribed. Y i. g The cup-shaped'packing 22 and slips i3 are initially secured in. their upper retracted positions with the spring I8 compressedby a pair of oppositely disposed levers. 28,A 28a whose lower ends 29 29a are formed as latchesv or pawls extending through holes 3l) in the body for engagement with the endfof the packer retainer I5. These levers are fulcrumed on ay hinge pin 3| secu-red to a trip sleeve `32gextending 4through they body. A trip rodv 33 is disposed within the trip sleeve, and has Y its pin 34 at the upper end of the slots35, 35aV by a cushioningfspring 36 Whose lower end seats von an abutmentV ,3l fixed to the sleeve 32 -and whose upper end engages the trip rod 33.' l f In orderfto' remove thelatches or pawls 29,' 29a As; a precautionary measure,

bottom -end of a sleeve .slot 4T.

from engagement with the retainer ring I5, so as to allow the helical spring I8 to expand and shift the packing 22 and slips I3 into engagement with the casing, the trip rod 33 is moved downwardly to cause its pin 34 to engage the sides of the oppositely directed slots 35, 35a and swing the trip levers 28, 28a inwardly on their hinge pin 3| within the confines of `the sleeve 32. 4 Such movement of the trip rod is obtained by droppingfa hollow weight 38 along the sleeve and into engagement with an anvil or abutment device 39 xed to the trip rod 33.

The upper end of the sleeve 32 is welded or otherwise secured. to a sinker bar 4D attached to a wire line socket di in which the lower end of a wire line 42 is suitably secured, by means of which the entire mechanism lowered in the well casing. The tubular weight 38 is initially heldv above the anvil 39 by latches 43 pivoted at their upper ends on the weight, with their free ends urged inwardly by leaf springs fl-'lj ixed 'to the weight to position and hold inwardly directed latch ngers 45 on the upper end of the wire line socketAl.

Whenever the packer or bridge plug is to be set, a .go-devil d3 is dropped or lowered along the wire line for engagementwith the inclined faces on the latch ngers 45, forcing them outwardly and from the upper end of the sockettl'. Such release ofthe fingers' allows the weight 33to drop along the sleeve 32 and engage the anvil or abutment mechanism 39, which extends through oppositely directed elongated slots 4T in the sleeve. The weight 38 isheavy enough so that upon enstaging the abutment mechanism` 39, it can move the trip rod 33 downwardly and cause its-pin 3d to swing the levers 28, 28a inwardly to a position permitting expansion of the spring` I8.

The arrangement described is similar in all general respects to Figure l2 disclosed inthe aforesaid patent. However, it has been found that premature tripping of the mechanism. sometimes occurs while loweringr the apparatus 4in aV well bore and before the weight 38 is released by the go-devil 36. It is believed that the trip rod 33 is moved downwardly by some force to with@ draw the trip levers 28. 23a, and their latch ends from the packing retainer l without assistance from the weight. The present invention contemplates an expedient for preventing such unwarranted movement of the trip rod and the consequent premature setting of the bridge plug against the casing.

The Vtrip rod 33 is held in elevated position by forming the anvil 39 as a latohin-g device. This device consists of two oppositely directed generally T-shaped levers 48 pivotally mounted within a slot di) in the trip rod on a hinge pin 5i! secured to the trip rod. These levers can swing in the trip rod slot 49 and they can both swingand move hinge pin 59 extending through one of the slots M in the sleeve, and a heavy arm 52011 the other side of the hinge pin extending in the other direction through the other sleeve slot, rsoas to exert a force tending to swing the fri-shaped lever on the hinge pin and elevate the' light arm 5l, f"

while at the same time posinoning the depending latch leg 53 outwardly with its foot 54 engaging the inner surface of the sleeve 32 and with a de tent 55 formed by a notch in the `leg engaging the VThis is the posi- Cil tion that the oppositely disposed T-shaped levers occupy before the trip rod 33 is moved downwardly by the force of the weight 38 resting on the levers 48 (see Figures 1 and 2). However, upon release of the weight through the action of the go-devil 46, the lower end of the former 38 engages the light arms 5l of the oppositely disposed T-shaped levers 48 and swings them downwardly andftheir respective legs 53 inwardly to a position in which the detents are disengaged from the bottom ends of the slots 41, allowing the force ol the weight 38 to move the trip rod 33 downwardly andeect release of the trip levers 28,

28a from the packing retainer ring l5.

It is to be noted that upon engagement of the weight 38 with .the T-shaped levers 48, the legs 53 are moved within the sleeve 32 centrally thereof and free from engagement with its inner surface, so as not to impede downward movement of the trip rod 33 within the sleeve. This central location of the legs is assured by engagement of the weight with the straight top surface provided by the lightand heavy arms 5i', 52 of each latch lever, due to the substantially right angular relationship between the` arms and the leg 53.

It is apparent that the 'trip rod 33 cannot be moved downwardly until the reshaped levers are released from engagement with the. bottom ends of the sleeve slots Il?. Premature tripping cannot occur despite jarring of the wire line 42 and other actions that might beimposed on the entire well apparatuswhile itis being run into the well bore or casing; The heavy arm 52 tends to maintain the detent 55 `in engagement with the sleeve 32 at the bottom endof the slot, preventing any downward movement of the trip rod on which the T-shaped levers are pivoted. It is only after the hollow weight 3B has been allowed to drop and engage the upper sides of these levers that the legs 53 swing inwardly free from engagement with the sleeve, thereafter permitting the weight to force the trip rod downwardly and effect release of 'the packing and slip actuating spring` IB.

As further assurance against premature trippingof the rod, a frangible pin of low shear value may `be inserted through both T-shaped levers 48. This frangible pin may take the form of a shear screw 56 extending through one of the levers and threaded into the/other lever.` This screw assists the Weighted arms 52 in maintaining the detents 55 in properlatching position on the sleeve 32. The shear screw is of sufciently low strength as to be disrupted bythe force of the weight 38 when it engages the latch levers G8 immediately prior to swinging of the legs 53 and their detents 55 inwardly of the sleeve 32.'

I claim:

l. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the performance of a function therewithin, a first latch means for preventing functioning of 'said apparatus, and pivoted latch means coupled to said first latch means for preventing release of the'latter until desired.

2. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the performance of a function therewithin, latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus, means coupled to said latch means and movable longitudinally of said well apparatus for releasing said latch means to permit functioning of said apparatus, and laterally movable latch means for locking said releasing means to prevent such longitudinal movement. l

3. In combination, awell apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the performance of a function therewithin, latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus, means coupled to said latch means and movable with respect to said well apparatus for releasing said latch means. to permit functioning of said apparatus, and laterally movable latch means for locking said releasing means to prevent such movement.

4. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the perfomance of a function therewithin, a first latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus, means coupled to said first latch means and movable with respect to said well apparatus. for releasing said latch means to permit functioning of said apparatus, a second latch means for locking said releasing means to prevent such movement, and means for releasing said second latch means and for moving said releasing means with respect to said well apparatus, whereby said rst latch means is released.

5. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the performance of a function therewithin, a first latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus, means coupled to said rst latch means and movable with respect to said well apparatus for releasing said latch means to permit functioning of said apparatus, a second latch means for locking said releasing means to prevent such movement, and a weight member engageable withv said second latch means to effect its release and for then moving said releasing means with respect to said well apparatus to lrelease said first latch means.

6. A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said second latch means comprises a pivoted lever having a light arm on one side of its pivot, a heavy arm on the opposite side of its pivot, and a depending leg provided with a detent.

7. A combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said second latch means comprises a pair of oppositely directed pivoted levers, each lever having a light arm on one side of its pivot, a heavy arm on the opposite side of its pivot, and a depending leg provided with a detent.

8. In combination, a Well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a Well bore for the perfomance of a function therewithin, latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus comprising a holding instrumentality, a pivoted lever having a laterally extending arm and a depending leg provided with a detent engageable with said holding instrumentality, and means engageable with said laterally extending arm for swinging said lever and removing said detent from said holding instrumentality.

9. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the performance of a function therewithin, latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus comprising a sleeve, a rod within said sleeve, a lever pivoted on said ro-d and having an arm extending therefrom and a depending leg engageable with said sleeve to prevent movement of said rod therewithin, and means engageable with said laterally extending arm for swinging said lever to remove said leg from engagement with said sleeve.

l0. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the performance of a function therewithin, latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus comprising a sleeve having a pair of opposed slots, a rod within said sleeve, a pair of oppositely directed tends.

l2. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the performance of a function therewithin, and latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus comprising a pivoted lever having a light arm on one side of its pivot, a heavy arm 0n the other side of its pivot, and a depending leg provided with a detent.

13. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for the'performance of a function therewithin, and latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus comprising a pivoted lever having arms on opposite sides of its pivot extending in opposite directions and a depending leg provided with a detent, and means for maintaining one of Said arms elevated above the other arm.

14. In combination, a well apparatus adapted to be lowered in a Well bore for the performance of a function therewithin, and latch means for preventing functioning of said apparatus com` 

